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Vorbarr Sultana
Vorbarr Sultana (vohr-BAHR suhl-TAH-nah), officially titled the City of Vorbarr Sultana, was the capital city of Vorbarra's District and the seat of government for Barrayar and the Barrayaran Imperium; Emperor Gregor Vorbarra called it his "twice-capital".Captain Vorpatril's Alliance chapter 24 A navigable river ran through the city, which was famous for its bridges. One of those, the Star Bridge, was the site of a historic assault by Vlad Vorbarra to relieve a siege of the city.A Civil Campaign chapter 6 The old part of the city was walled; some of the Old Walls still existed during Miles Vorkosigan's lifetime.A Civil Campaign chapter 16 Each of the sixty District Counts maintained residences within the capital in addition to any they might have in their home Districts. Lord Vorbohn the younger had an unspecified senior administrative role in the government of the city, including responsibility for law enforcement and for upgrading the traffic network, such as by bringing in automated traffic control.A Civil Campaign chapter 1 The law enforcement agency was called the Municipal Guard.Barrayar chapter 7''A Civil Campaign'' chapter 1 Approximate layout of the city *General layout ** Its peripheral extensions were less well-developed than those of newer cities such as Hassadar.Memory chapter 10 **The area around the Great Square was called the Old Town, which was bisected by the river and extended at least as far as Vorkosigan House.Memory chapter 4 Newer city extended in rings around it for a couple dozen kilometers.Captain Vorpatril's Alliance'' chapter 15 *The river itself **Flowing west to east was the main river. Just above the point where ordinary ships could no longer travel upriver, due to waterfalls and rapids, there was a dam with locks below. Just below the locks was the Star Bridge.A Civil Campaign chapter 6 *To the north of the river **The Imperial Military Hospital was a large complex of buildings that overlooked the river.Shards of Honor chapter 14''Barrayar'' chapter 9 and various **Vorbretten House overlooked the Star Bridge.A Civil Campaign chapter 6 **The military shuttleport.Captain Vorpatril's Alliance chapter 9 *On the south side of the river **University of Vorbarr Sultana was in the west, with Georg Vorthys's home nearby.A Civil Campaign chapter 1 **Vorhartung Castle was not far from Vorbretten House, and the Great Square was not far away, either.A Civil Campaign chapter 6 **The Great Square, with the Prime Minister's office overlooking it. Stocks for capital punishment by exposure and starvation were in easy view of the Prime Minister's office.The Warrior's Apprentice chapter 18 **The Caravanserai was a "stretched" walk to the south of the Great Square.Mirror Dance chapter 14 **The Imperial Security Headquarters building – the old one – was to the east, about a kilometer downstream from the Star Bridge.Captain Vorpatril's Alliance chapter 23 **The Imperial Residence was not too far to the east (a few kilometers at most) from the Caravanserai.Barrayar chapter 18 **Modern government buildings, particularly ministries, were about one to two kilometers east of the Imperial Residence.Shards of Honor chapter 15 **The Imperial Service Headquarters was across town from the Imperial Security Headquarters''Memory'' chapter 17; it was probably one of the "modern government buildings". **Vorkosigan House was probably to the east of the Imperial Residence. Vorhartung Castle and the river could be seen from the roof''Barrayar'' chapter 4; it was four kilometers away from Imperial Security Headquarters''Memory'' chapter 4 and six kilometers from Vorbarr Sultana University with the route cutting through a corner of Old Town.A Civil Campaign chapter 1 Located in the old part of the city, it had at least three sets of tunnels under it.Barrayar chapter 1''Memory'' chapter 4 **The Koudelkas' home was six blocks from Vorkosigan House.A Civil Campaign chapter 4,12 **Lady Alys Vorpatril owned at least three buildings. One close to the Imperial Residence had her old apartment, another was close to Imperial Service Headquarters (Ivan lived there), and the last was upstream from the city centre (she lived there).Captain Vorpatril's Alliance chapter 9 In addition, there were quite a few famous buildings and institutions of unknown location within the city: *SieglingsBarrayar chapter 2 *Estelles"Winterfair Gifts" *The Imperial Science Institute"Labyrinth" *The Vorbarr Sultana Company Hall''Memory'' chapter 19 *The Vorbarr Sultana Fire Watch''A Civil Campaign'' Epilogue *Vorbarra District Agricultural and Engineering Institute''Mirror Dance'' chapter 15 *Imperial Cemetery''Mirror Dance'' chapter 15 *A top-ranked civilian clinic specializing in cryo-revival''Memory'' chapter 12 *Municipal Stadium (the second ugliest building in the city)Mirror Dance chapter 18''A Civil Campaign'' Epilogue The Imperial Service Academy was not within the city, but it was nearby. Tidbits *Meatballs sold by vendors on the Great Square were very low in meat.Captain Vorpatril's Alliance Epilogue * "Every Vor lady goes to the capital to shop."Barrayar chapter 19 Notes and references Category:Vorbarr Sultana